Absence and Attendance
Attendance guidance
- Please click on the following link to view: Attendance leaflet - guidance for parents
Our Attendance Policy is available on our Policies page on this website
Absence from school due to illness
If your child is absent from school, please contact the school office (01763 838592) by 9.30am with the reason for their absence.
Where possible, medical appointments should be made outside of school hours.
Requests for pupils to be allowed out of school should be sent to the school prior to the appointment.
Pupils will be released from school in sufficient time to attend the appointment and should return to school after the appointments.
We may ask to see confirmation of your appointment
Punctuality
Leave of Absence in term time
Having a good education will help give your child the best possible start in life. If your child does not attend regularly, they will not be able to keep up with the work and may not achieve their potential.
For further guidance on school attendance is available from the Essex County Council website.
Parents should not take their children out of school during term time for holidays and there is no legal right to do so.
No holiday requests will be granted during the first two weeks of the Autumn Term or during the statutory assessment month of May.
Holiday requests should be made at least two weeks in advance of the expected holiday date and the Head Teacher may arrange to meet with parents to discuss requests.
Permission for pupils to be absent from school for special occasions (e.g. a wedding) should also be sought at least two weeks in advance of the event. Permission will not be granted for shopping trips, day trips, theatre visits, birthdays or looking after a brother or sister, visiting family etc.
In line with the Local Authority procedures, we will reply to a Leave of Absence request in writing and will post a reply to both parents/carers confirming the decision.
Since Sept 2013 the DfE has given clear direction that holidays should not be authorised in term time apart from exceptional circumstances
School work will not be provided for children who are absent due to holiday.
If an absence is not authorised and the holiday is taken anyway, the case may be referred to the Attendance Compliance team at Essex County Council who may issue a Penalty Notice to each parent for each child taken out of school.